Smartphones are becoming essential to modern life, providing access to varied information, recreation, and communication modes. However, sometimes you would want to avoid staying confined to the small screen to watch your favorite content. You might want to display your mobile screen on a larger display for a better experience.
This is where casting your phone comes into the picture. It allows you to display or “cast” your phone’s screen content on a television screen or a projector!
On the other hand, streaming helps you access and view your content in real time. Services like Netflix and Youtube use streaming technology to bring you on-demand access to their vast library of content.
According to Allbridge, a property technology solution firm, the evolving consumer avenues have made it very difficult for the hospitality industry to give its consumers the technological experience that they enjoy in the comfort of their homes.
Casting your phone opens up a gamut of choices for you to enjoy your presentations, intense video game battles, or watch multimedia content with your close ones.
According to MarketWatch, the worldwide demand for casting devices was worth USD 278.5 million in 2022. It is anticipated to increase to USD 474.8 million by 2028, an expansion of CAGR of 9.3% between 2022-2028.
This blog post will highlight a few differences between casting and streaming. It will also shed light on key pointers to help you cast your phone in the most optimum way possible.
Streaming v/s Casting
Casting and streaming are more often than not used interchangeably. But, the two have differences worth noting. Let us explore the differences between casting and streaming, and help you understand their operations and appropriate applications.
Source Of The Content
For casting to take effect, the content must be on the casting device itself. The device’s output is either mirrored or relayed to the receiving screen. In contrast, streaming retrieves the content from a remote location, like a server on the internet, and transmits it to the receiving device in real time.
User Interaction
While casting, the casting device(your phone) acts as a remote control. It allows you to navigate, select and control the content being shown on the receiving device(say, your home television set).
On the other hand, you can play, pause, or skip content, but you would not enjoy an intuitive navigational experience.
Device Compatibility
In general, casting requires the installation of specific apps and software, like Chromecast and Airplay, for it to mirror the content on a phone or a source device. Streaming, on the other hand, uses dedicated streaming apps and/or platforms that need to be installed on a wide array of devices like smartphones, smart TVs, and gaming consoles.
Solutions For Casting Your Phone
Casting or mirroring your phone screen on a public device, say, a hotel room television, does not need you to log in to the streaming platform installed in the room television set. Moreover, it is possible that your favorite streaming application might not be present in the smart television installed in your hotel room. You might then want a solution for TV casting for hotels to help you enjoy your show.
Here is a list of solutions for the optimum casting of your phones.
Chromecast
Chromecast is a popular casting solution created by Google. It enables you to broadcast anything from your phone to a TV or other display.
Connect the Chromecast dongle to your TV, download the matching software on your phone, and with a few taps on your phone, you shall get the perfect mirroring channel ready. It features a user-friendly interface and supports both Android and iOS devices.
Apple TV
Apple TV is an exciting casting solution for Apple users. It integrates seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem. Using AirPlay, you can easily mirror your iPhone or iPad screen onto a larger display connected to an Apple TV.
This allows you to share presentations, watch videos, or play games on the big screen with ease. Additionally, Apple TV provides access to various apps and streaming services, enhancing your casting experience.
Smart TVs
These days casting features frequently come built into modern smart TVs, negating the need for additional hardware. These TVs offer wireless screen mirroring from compatible devices using technologies like Miracast, Wi-Fi Direct, or comparable protocols.
You should consult your TV manual to check whether your TV set supports casting by default.
Third-Party Applications
In addition to the dedicated casting solutions mentioned above, various third-party apps can help you cast your phone screen. You can cast your phone’s screen to a computer or other device using screen mirroring features offered by applications like AirDroid, and TeamViewer.
These apps offer flexibility and customization choices, albeit they might need accompanying software to be installed on the receiving device.
Conclusion
Whether you want to stream your content on your phone or cast it on a bigger TV screen, the onus lies in your preferences and choices. Whether you opt for casting devices like Chromecast and Apple TV, you bring home a smart TV with a built-in cast feature, or you wish to exploit third-party apps, the aforementioned solutions provide an option for every user.
Immerse yourself in a larger, more interesting display, and enhance your smartphone experience!
